Designing a healthy home

Home is a reflection of who you are. So, for a healthy you, start with a healthy home. During my interaction with my clients, what I find is that all of them want homes that are beautiful. But what I see missing is the enthusiasm to have a healthy home, a home that provides calm to people who live in it.

Do away with noise

It is important that there is “life” in your home. Factors such as sound pollution inside the home can be frustrating. Take the buzzing fridge, noisy boilers and so on. These factors take a toll on your mental health, without you realising it. One of the most important factors for a healthy home is smell. Does your home smell fresh and healthy? A good cleaning regimen is a great help. It is advisable to use environmentally friendly, non-toxic products in the home. Always use natural materials, organic plants, and suitable cleaning solutions.

Cut flowers and bring them into your home to add fragrance, but don’t allow them to die in their vases. Watch out for rotting food stashed away in the corners of your refrigerator and forgotten. They can create rancid smells and release spores in the air. Smell is processed by the part of the brain that handles emotions. Most of the smells within a home, everything from cooking aromas to pre-related odour, influence mood, emotion and energy levels. Fragrance can elevate mood, improve creativity and enhance sleep.

Positive vibrations

Homes are alive too. They absorb the vibrations that circulate around them and hold these vibrations within their structure, both negative and positive. Every object and surface in your home emits different types of energy, so, match the energy with the environment. For example, relaxing soft fabrics work very well in the lounge and the bedroom. Smooth, durable surfaces that are easy to clean should be used for the kitchen and bathroom.

The living room is your space for relaxation, rest and socialising. Make it welcoming, comfortable and a visual feast for yourself and your family.

Select warm wall colours, matching furniture and curtain fabrics, soft, decorative floor rugs, exotic plants and fresh flowers, happy family photos and artwork which inspire you and your family.

Art is the medicine of the soul and can raise the spirits, so ensure that it is a good medicine. It should emit positive messages. Choose pictures of beautiful landscapes, cascading water or sunrise, all of which sends positive messages.

Design of furniture is important. Choose rounded shapes with smooth edges to stimulate a feeling of harmony and balance. Position chairs with their backs to solid walls wherever possible, giving a better sense of security. Keep it well-lit, using adjustable lighting.
Put a lot of thought into the design of the kitchen.

Avoid clutter and ensure that your kitchen has good ventilation. Though lighting is a high priority all around the home, it is more important in the kitchen. White works well for the kitchen, reflecting natural light, enhancing purity and creating spaciousness.  Yellow is another good choice, a nurturing, relaxing and warm colour.

Natural materials like wicker baskets, cotton materials and plants will balance your kitchen environment and make you relax. You should ensure that everything works in your kitchen from light bulbs to food mixers, as broken gadgets sap your energy levels.
For the bedroom, use soft pastel shades that are calming and conducive to sleep.

Avoid large mirrors and reflective surfaces as they emit high energy and sleep patterns. Try not to have a television or a computer in your bedroom-they are too intrusive.

Aura is important

Your home’s aura is made up of everything within it, the way it has been designed, the building materials, decorations and colours, if you feel restless in your home, change the colour of your room and see how you feel. Did you know that plants absorb negative energy and transform it into light? Have you ever walked into a room and sensed the atmosphere there?

Sometimes you feel that a place is a happy one, and at other times you feel really uncomfortable. What you are sensing is the subtle atmosphere, the feeling of the place.
The prime example of this is the Millennium Dome in London. Although the dome was well designed the feeling inside the space was not right and no amount of money could make it a success.

The five elements of earth, fire, metal, wood and water play a major role in the creation of a healthy and harmonious home. Living in a home which has an energy field aligned to your own elemental make up creates a sacred space where you can relax and flourish.
The energy centre at the entrance is particularly important, for it is a great protector of the home. Most people paint their doors intuitively with a psychologically protective colour like black, dark blue, or dark green and white.

Dark colours absorb harmful energy while the light ones deflect it, much like a mirror. The strong element of wood is extremely useful in entrance ways as it creates the same sort of protection you would be given by tall trees in the forest. This area provides us with grounding and security and so is a place which benefits from warm earthy colours and materials, such as terracotta and clay brick.

Taking one’s shoes off at this point will protect the inner sanctuary.
Walking barefoot stimulates and balances your foot reflexes, strengthening your ground connection, so your energy system is better able to cope with change. The staircase is the backbone of your house and should be well made and well lit.

(The author is an interior designer)